POP Diva, singer-actress, painter, entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Kuh Ledesmas is currently celebrating her 45th year in the music and entertainment business.

She’s glad that she’s still very much around to share her talent in singing and as a performer hindi lamang sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas kundi maging sa ibang bansa which she have been doing since she went solo in early `80s.

Unknown to many, si Kuh ay isang registered nurse, isang kursong hindi niya gustong kunin pero sinunod niya ang kagustuhan ng kanyang ina.

Although she was born in Manila, she took her college education sa Colegio de San Agustin in Bacolod City kung saan kilala ang mga Ledesma pero ang pamilya ni Kuh ay kabilang sa tinatawag na middle class lamang.

Si Kuh ay pangalawa sa apat na magkakapatid – two girls and two boys. She was 13 nang magkahiwalay ang kanyang parents kaya mag-isa silang itinaguyod ng kanilang ina.

Since kumakanta-kanta si Kuh in school, Jet Montelibano of Ensalada Band asked her to be part of the band. Doon unang nahasa si Kuh kumanta ng iba’t ibang songs and different genre tulad ng pop, jazz, rock, Broadway, ballads at iba pa. As a show band, they were peforming before at the Playboy Club when she met talent manager Sandra Chavez who encouraged her to put up her own band at dito nabuo ang Music and Magic na kinabilangan nina Bobby Taylo, Butch Elizalde, Nonoy Mendoza, Angeli Pangilinan, Fe de los Reyes, Eva Caparas, Jet Montelibano, Toto Gentica, Jeanette Saguya. When Angeli left the group, siya’y pinalitan ni Vicky Sevilla-Pangilinan.

Kuh stayed with Music and Magic for two years and they were performing regularly at the Alibi Bar in Regent of Manila (now Heritage Hotel) where the late great composer George Canseco saw her perform and later brought her to Vicor-Blackgold that gave her her signature hit song, “Dito Ba” followed by her multi-platinum album “Kuh.” Nang umalis si Kuh sa Music and Magic to go solo, nagpatuloy ang grupo until 1986 at na-disband na rin ito eventually dahil lahat ng naiwang members ay nagka-kanya nang focus sa kanilang respective solo careers.

In the meantime, pagkatapos ng kantang “Dito Ba,” nagpatuloy ang pag- imbulog ng pangalan ni Kuh churning one hit after the other tulad ng “I Think I’m In Love,” “Till I Met You,” “Bulaklak,” “Ako ay Pilipino,” “Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon,” “A Long Time Ago,” “Paano Kita Mapapasalamatan,” “Walang Hanggan,””Sana,” “Wakas,” “Magbalik Ka” at iba pa.

Naging in-demand siyang performer at concert star sa malalaking venues tulad ng Araneta Coliseum, Folk Arts Theater, Cultural Centers of the Philippines (CCP) at iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo.

Nakagawa rin siya ng mga klasikong pelikula tulad ng “Oro, Plata, Mata,” “Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang,” “The Year of Living Dangerously” with Mel Gibson, “Till I Met You” with Robin Padilla at iba pa. Nakagawa rin siya ng iba’t ibang serye sa telebisyon like “Bituin,” “Endless Love,” “My Husband’s Lover,” “My Destiny,” “Because of You,” among others.

But first and foremost, Kuh is a singer and performer. While she loves acting, ayaw niyang tumatak sa mga kontrabida roles (because of her looks) at hirap pa rin umano siyang mag-adjust sa working hours sa tapings and shootings unlike when she’s doing shows and concerts.

Kuh is also a painter at marami na siyang painting collections sa kanyang 4-hectare property in Silang, Cavite kung saan matatagpuan ang Hacienda Isabella (named after her only child Isabella Ledesma Quirino) na isang kilalang events place (for weddings, debuts, team buildings and other corporate events). Doon din nakatira ang mag-inang Kuh at Isabella with their 32 employees who maintain the place. Kapag may events ay nagdadagdag pa siya ng reinforcement staff.

Kuh is able to balance her being a singer-performer, a mom, a businesswoman and being an inspirational speaker sharing the words of God.

In our exclusive interview with her sa Hacienda Isabella for our online show, “TicTALK with Aster Amoyo,” inamin ng Pop Diva that she got devastated nang magkahiwalay sila ng kanyang ex-husband na si Louie Quirino (grandson of the late former President Epidio Quirino).

“I was very heartbroken when I got separated from my husband that I don’t want to talk to anyone,” pag-amin niya.

“I felt so betrayed,” dagdag pa niya.

“But God healed me. Nothing is impossible with Him,” deklara niya.

Since then Kuh has turned to the Lord gayundin ang kanyang anak na si

Isabella and the people around her.

Kuh is able to manage her time in serving the Lord and her career bilang singer-performer, painter at pagiging isang negosyante and she’s happy and at peace with herself.

Bukas pa siya sa bagong pag-ibig.

“If the Lord wills it, so be it!” aniya.

Samantala, ngayong araw ng Sabado, November 12 ay mapapanood siya sa Fantasy Resorts in Palm Springs, California, USA with Concert Queen Pops Fernandez and Jaya.

On November 17, 2022 ay guest performer siya sa Christmas tree lighting sa Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati and on December 2 and 3 ay matutunghayan siya sa Newport Performing Arts Theater sa Resorts World Manila with L.A.-based Jaya and Fe de Los Reyes.

Pelikulang magpapangiti sa manonood

SOBRA kaming nag-enjoy sa pelikulang “Mahal Kita, Beksman” at the red carpet remiere night ng pelikula na ginanap sa SM Megamall last Thursday evening. Ito’y mula sa panulat at direksiyon ni Perci Intalan at joint production ng Viva Films at The IdeaFirst Company na tinampukan nina Christian Bables, Keempee de Leon, Iana Bernardez, Katya Santos at iba pa. Kahit ang support cast ng movie ay mahuhusay.

Hindi naman maku-question si Iana dahil nagmana ito sa kanyang veteran actress mom na si Angel Aquino sa husay umarte.

Napakagaling at napaka-natural na talaga nina Christian at Keempee gumanap sa gay roles.

Isang feel-good movie ang “Mahal Kita, Beksman” at lalabas ka ng sinehan na masaya at magaan ang pakiramdam.

Sana maging daan ang nasabing pelikula para maenganyo at muling bumalik sa mga sinehan ang mga manonood dahil iba pa rin talaga kung ang isang pelikula ay napapanood sa big screen.

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